The stock exchange in Japan started the new trading week with a loss on Monday. The stock exchange in Japan began to the new trading week with a loss on Monday. Investors took some profit after the substantial advance in the past five weeks.
New record levels on Wall Street and strong growth in Chinese exports kept losses limited. The other stock market indicators in the Asian region showed a mixed picture.
The main index in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225, ended up 0.8 percent lower at 26,547.44 points. At the opening, the Japanese main index reached its highest level since April 1991. Investors were mostly in anticipation of the additional stimulus that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will announce this week.
Internet company Rakuten and camera maker Olympus were among the biggest losers with minuses of 4.1 and 5.3 percent. The chip companies Advantest and Tokyo Electron won 0.5 and 1.4 percent following the price gains in the American chip sector.
In Shanghai, the stock market dropped 0.6 percent in the meantime, despite a sharp increase in Chinese exports. Exports from China increased by 21.1 percent in November, showing the most substantial growth in more than two years. The Kospi in Seoul climbed 0.3 percent, and in Sydney, the All Ordinaries rose 0.6 percent.
The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell 1.4 percent. According to Reuters news agency, the United States is preparing new sanctions against at least a dozen Chinese officials for their role in expelling members of the Hong Kong opposition.
The US government could take measures against employees of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Monday.